


Of Noble Mein

by midnightsugar



Category: Loki - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Norse Religion & Lore, Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Gen, LDW Tumblr Fic Challenge, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-10
Updated: 2014-03-10
Packaged: 2018-01-14 15:33:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1271842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightsugar/pseuds/midnightsugar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A prince of Asgard he may be, but do you always have to do as he demands?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Noble Mein

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer and Author’s Note:
> 
> Written for the Loki's-Dirty-Whispers Tumblr 2014 Winter FanFic Contest
> 
> Anyone/Reader is always a challenge for me, so I hope I haven't completely cocked it up with this fic. I had to follow the guidelines for the Challenge, and I hope I got it right. This fic did not win or get runner-up, but I thought it would be good to post this anyway since I put in the work for it. My Tumblr name is different to my name here on AO3 if anyone is reading this from the link from the LDW Tumblr :) (withtheleadpipe)
> 
> I do not own Loki (sadly) - he belongs to the myths and legends and to Marvel. Nor do I suppose I own the Reader, save for myself  I do not own any of the other characters that are listed throughout the fic.
> 
> This is set prior to the film ‘Thor’ as per the Marvel Cinematic Universe. All are my original work, save for the Whispers used from the LDW Tumblr, which are written with italics here, so much thanks go to those that submitted them. Any similarities to other works are purely coincidental. I hope you enjoy

Written for the[ Loki's-Dirty-Whispers Tumblr 2014 Winter FanFic Contest](http://lokis-dirty-whispers.tumblr.com/fanficcontest)

I had not meant to be seen. I had long ago learned to school my facial features into passive blankness in the House of Odin. Rumours flew around like the ravens of Odin, but this one caused me to roll my eyes in frustration. For ladies of the court, the group before me laughed too high pitched, gossiped of everyone and pretended to be so innocent and maiden-like, yet had the gall to speak of such things.

‘Sif was seen leaving the chambers of Loki last evening!’

‘Oh, on my ancestors’ souls!’ I exclaimed, whirling around on them. They all stared at me. Noble blood I might have, but I hated everything about life in the palace, especially as a woman. I played my part, allowing others to dress me up, to fashion me like my dolls of my childhood, but I longed to do as Sif did; picking up the sword and wielding it better than the warriors she fought beside. I knew Sif. She was a true lady and absolutely would not be caught dead anywhere near Loki’s chambers; which could only mean one thing...

‘You are simply jealous that it was not you that was in the Prince’s chambers last night,’ I bit out. One by one their faces changed into smiles of pity and contempt.

‘And you are simply jealous that nobody will take you to their chambers at all, let alone the Prince,’ one replied to me sweetly. I recognised her. And I hid my own derision of her well. I would have envied her once, and I knew nigh well what my future held, but I did not care.

‘And _you_ are seething that he cast you out of his bed in favour of another. Why should I care if he never chooses me? I do not aspire to marry a prince. How tedious it would be.’ I gave them a smile of my own as they stalked away from me, no doubt to spread lies about me to everyone they could see. I was against a wall, watching the celebratory feast continuing from days before. I could not remember what we were all celebrating anymore. I leaned back, my anger abating now. It was not fair-to constantly think I was better than they were, to judge. What fools they were to trust the Master of Mischief, the Lord of the Lies. What a fool I was.

‘I hate you,’ I murmured.

‘No, you do not’

I glanced at the dark space beside me. I could not see him but my entire body could feel him. He was not even touching me. I slipped, unnoticed, around the corner and found my back flush against the wall, one of his hands at the nape of my neck, the other tracing patterns over my gauzy gown on my thigh, his lips so close to mine, I could stick my tongue out to taste him if I wanted to, and how I wanted to...

‘You did an illusion for me to look like Sif?’ I growled out angrily.

‘Well I could hardly make you look like one of them. They’d know it was a trick’

‘I hope Sif finds out and-’

‘And what?’ he demanded before he caught my mouth with his own and I drowned in the taste of him. My arms found their way around him, pulling him closer to me, as close as I could get with all the encumbering clothes between us. His hands, his hands were everywhere on my body. I hated him, hated me, but I didn’t really hate him. Not when he did that thing with his tongue on my-

_"Do you think I do not notice the way your eyes dart towards me when others aren’t looking? I see the guilt and lust in your eyes. But do not worry, my pet, they will never know about us. This is our little secret, my sweet."_

Part of me wanted to give him an almighty slap to his beautiful face, but my body was such a betrayer. Even in the dark, his pale skin shone brightly to me and his ice cold eyes pierced me and I still clung to him, silently willing him to just take me here in the dark, with nearly everyone in Asgard mere inches away from us. He smiled at me and I kissed him again, softly, tentatively. Loki looked at me in slight confusion, yet still had the sweet nerve to inch his fingers beneath my dress, closing in to my centre, ever so slightly brushing the small, but potent nub and then everything about me feels like liquid again. The last coherent thought that I can bring forth is how unfair this is; how I let him have so much control over me, and how I desperately need it, because ‘good’ is only the very base of feelings I get from this. This man, with magic in his blood, in his skin and on his tongue; this prince, he is my lover but love has nought to do with it at all.

‘What will you do if Sif finds out what I did and comes after me? Will you watch her attack me? Will you nurse me back to strength if her sword finds its mark? Do not lie to me, woman. You know you want to be the only one to mark me, just as I am the only one,’ he nips at my neck lightly, just beneath the ear he was whispering into, ‘to,’ another, this time just a little harder, ‘mark,’ another, even harder, ‘you.’ His fingers slide inside of me and I have to bite my cheeks to stop myself from crying out. ‘I heard you with them. I heard what you said to them and I heard what they said to you. Did you know, little one? I had all of them before I had you.’

His left hand came up to cup my jaw, tilting it up so I couldn’t look elsewhere but at his own stunning face. I was trapped between his hips and the wall, his two fingers exploring further inside of me, his thumb patterning over that small bundle of nerves above, setting me alight. I gasped again while frowning at his smirk and he answered with a kiss, seeking deep with his tongue, matching the rhythm of his hand below. I freed my hands, grasping at him, trying to pull him even closer to me, his response was to take his hand from my face and lean down slightly to catch my leg, hooking it up around him, changing the angle, allowing him to curl his fingers upward even more and finding the sweet spot there, and his lips ghosted by my ear.

_"Look at me. Look at me when you come. I want to see the pleasure flow from your beautiful eyes when you topple over that sweet precipice."_

I felt the explosion rush through me in such quickness that I had no choice but to give in to it, moaning out his name over and over before he quietened me with his mouth again. His fingers did not stop and I could feel myself clenched tightly around them; he slowed them down, just playing with me now.He took that hand away and I had the vague sense of nothingness. Loki’s smile widened as he brought it up; a sticky, slick mess. Bringing it up to my lips, I opened my mouth; no instruction needed from my prince, and took in the finger he offered. His eyes were watching me carefully. Cleaned of any remnant of me, he pulled back and slowly copied my actions with his other fingers, savouring the moment, before kissing me intently.

‘You taste like you belong to me’

I pushed him off me, pulling down my gown in frustration. ‘Then I hope it was sufficient for tonight for you, my lord...you arse,’ I finished with some touch of sarcasm.

His eyes narrowed at my behaviour. Well, I couldn’t care less. This whole game was getting tiresome. I wondered what he would say, or do, before he stepped away, brushed off some imaginary piece of annoyance from his sleeve and stalked away, leaving me there in the darkened alcove, a complete wreck.

 -

The cooling breeze through my open window did nothing for me. The night was still alive in the city below. Rest was not an option when there was ale to be drunk, dance to be had, beds used for the pleasures of flesh instead of dreams.

He would not come for me; my defiance must have given him enough reason to cast me aside, just another in what I was sure was a long line that would continue long after me. I left my bed, which had never been a stage for our amorous activities, and made my way to the window, gazing over the party spilled out before me, wondering if I could see anyone of note. The feeling of being watched in return began. The feel of hands upon my hips from behind me caused me to open my mouth to scream until one came up to clamp deftly over my mouth. I thought it had simply been my imagination that I could smell his scent, like ice, covered in spices and so...raw.

‘How long have you been in here?’ I whimpered when he finally took his hand away. It had slid down to cup and massage my left breast, his other hand still by my hip, drawing shapes over my thin nightdress.

‘Long enough to be disappointed in you,’ he replied in a low, dangerous voice in my ear.

‘What means you, my lord? How have I displeased you in my own chambers?’

I could feel him pressed against my rear, his familiar, and most welcome, hardness prodding at me. His hand moved across my gown and beneath its material to my other breast, playfully rolling my nipple between his finger and thumb.

‘I would have thought that after your little display of attempted mutiny earlier, you would be in here, wondering how to make me forgive you, thinking of ways to make it up for me’

‘I always think of you,’ I murmured. The hand that had been contented with my hip now lifted the hem of the gown, dancing up along my thigh, inching closer to my centre, teasing.

_"You think that your disobedience and insulting remarks anger me; but in truth they spur me on."_

Under my breath, I cursed at him and in the next breath I moaned as he ghosted his fingers over my folds, already wet. Damn my betraying body; my traitorous, stupid body. It was here that I realised most of my upper body was leaning out the window.

‘If anyone were to look up...’

‘They wouldn’t see me, darling. Just you and it would be up to me just how much they will have sight of.’ He started to pull my gown from my shoulders, leaving them bare to the realm before taking his hand away quickly. ‘But I do not like to share what is mine.’ I could feel him pull away from me for a moment.

‘No,’ I pleaded. Even to my own ears, it sounded rather pathetic and desperate. His low laugh sent my body into liquid.

‘It’s alright, pet. My clothing was just encumbering my plans.’ He pushed against me again, leaning me further out the window. I grasped at the sill to level myself as I felt my gown being hitched up and over my hips, his calloused fingers trailing after it on my sensitive skin. Bastard. ‘Gods, if you could see yourself now,’ he murmured. No, I only wanted to see him. I knew I must only be satisfied with his touch, which had always produced much in the way of satisfaction. Through the fog in my brain, I watched the lights, the dancing and the revelry below us. Loki ran those big hands over the rounded orbs of my rear, before sliding one between my thighs again and kicking my legs apart. I could only imagine how he looked behind me, assessing me, making me wait in agony. His lips sought out my shoulder, his tongue leaving a shiny path up to the back of my neck. I sensed him shifting slightly before he finally, finally, entered into me, slowly, filling me. I dropped my head down, a groan escaping my lips.

_"Oh, you bad, bad girl. I can see you still haven’t learned your lesson."_

Silver tongue indeed-his words driving into my mind, turning me into a puddle of no resistance. And his cock was entirely of magic as he steadied himself into a rhythm. My dress slipped further down, exposing my breasts to the cool night air. I felt vaguely ridiculous with the green gown only covering my torso, until he thrust into me that much harder and bit into the skin at the nape of my neck, making me forget about everything but the feel of him. I moved with him, wanting as much as I could take and more. I could feel it start in my stomach, spreading outward to the rest of my body, as if fireworks were starting in every part of my body, especially where he was joined with me, where he was touching, where he was kissing me. My scream was muffled by his hand as I felt him spill into me, his other hand gripping my hip so tightly, I was sure it would leave a bruise and I relished the thought. Loki roughly pulled out of me and the brief sense of emptiness didn’t last long as he spun me around and crushed his lips against mine, its own kind of bruising pleasure, and he lifted me so I was seated upon the windowsill, hooking my legs around his waist. My arms wrapped around his neck, trying to bring him closer to me-I always seemed to be doing this. It was here that I noticed that he was still mostly clothed, though his trousers had come off just under his hips.

‘Why are you still wearing things?’ I railed at him as he pulled away for breath. The sinful smile he gave in return made my stomach and many other parts clutch inward again.

‘I was impatient to be in you’

‘While I look like this?’ I said, gesturing at my unkempt state. I rolled my eyes, trying not to display the happiness his words gave me. I raised my legs, catching my feet in the band of his pants, bringing them down. He obliged by stepping out of them and I reached forward eagerly to grab his undershirt. I overestimated the distance, finding myself falling into his arms, cursing my lack of grace and coordination at such a time. I would have been humiliated but for the fact that I could now move more freely. I took his shirt, pulling it over his torso and his shoulders and head before throwing it aside.  Next I went to grab my gown, but he stilled my hands with his own.

‘Please, let me’

He drew me in, cupping my face with his wonderful hands and kissing me again. Taking the remainder of the nightdress, now bunched up upon my hips, Loki dropped to his knees before me and proceeded to very slowly pull it downwards. I could not resist the temptation, reaching out to run my fingers through his dark hair. He had had it cut in recent times and I found myself missing his longer hair, but then I could sense my gown fall down to the floor once past me knees. He gazed up at me, his ice blue eyes full of unspoken plans, I could tell. His hands had trailed up the back of my thighs and now rested on my rear. He leaned closer to kiss my abdomen softly.

‘Loki.’ His name slipped from my mouth before I knew it; he was teasing me, making me wait, and attacking my natural impatience. I could sense his knowing smile against my skin, his hands grabbing at me harder. His mouth slid lower and I tilted my head back in anticipation. His sudden change of direction took me aback, his skilful tongue gliding back over my abdomen, upwards to the valley between my breasts, bringing it up further to the hollow at my neck before kissing me once more and lifting me from the ground. My arms snaked around his neck again as he walked us towards the bed, falling back onto it, myself following suit atop of him. When I got my bearings again, I straddled his hips, allowing myself to savour the sight beneath me, glorious and pale, the most beautiful man I would ever know, and looking back at me dangerously.

‘Are you going to keep me waiting?’ he asked cheekily. I leaned forward slightly, placing my hands on his strong chest, pushing myself back so I could feel his hard cock. As I reached his lips with mine, I teased him by sliding him along my wetness, but not letting him in. His groan reverberated into my mouth and I cheered my accomplishment inwardly.  He pushed himself upwards, sending us both upright, leaving the biting of my lower lip instead at my neck. _“Are you sure you want to play this game with me, little pet?"_

‘What does my lord wish me to do?’

His smile told me his answer before he had to voice it,

‘Everything I ask of her’

And so I did.

-

I lay there in the dark, hearing the feasting and elation still continuing outside. My body hurt, in all the best ways and I sat up, running my hands through my hair. He was gone now; my prince amongst gods. It seemed so unfair-the amount of power and powerful persuasion he possessed and I found myself in a panicked state. I’d had such plans for myself, decisions made, strategies thought out and he had come strolling into life in such a way, I could never have foreseen how it would all go out the window, as it were.

Loki was calculating and very aware of all the buttons to push with me. He had staked upon his beauty, wit and talent and won, and still I knew he was not satisfied with all he already had. My skin still tingled at the thought of him, my insides melting at the memory of all I had done with him, but for me it was not enough. It would never be enough and the thought scared the life out of me. How much he had already conquered and would do so after me. I was not stupid-I was another in a long line of lovers, a plaything, a hobby. The idea that he would soon tire of me and cast me aside as he had done with the others hit me in the chest, leaving me gasping for breath and I had to tell myself to calm down. He had never been a part of my plans, and had somehow secreted himself into the parts of my heart and soul that I thought I had kept locked and walled. He was my liege, my lover and in all honesty, my master. This had to end and on my terms. Just how I was to do that...

-

I curtseyed low as he stood in front of me.

‘My lord’

He stood beside me and together we watched as people milled around in revelry. I was my usual self, avoiding the warriors and their wandering hands, although I was quite sure I had felt Fandral’s hands upon my rear at some point in my travels around the festivities. I looked over to Loki, forever the man I would hold any others to in standard and smiled lightly at him. He glanced over at me and smiled in return. People saw us, giving us curious looks as he reached over and sighed in some resignation.

‘Would you care to dance, dear lady?’

‘Dance?’ I tried not to look shocked, or laugh but I could tell my eyebrows and forehead had risen significantly.

‘Please’

‘As you wish, my lord’

He took my hand and led me to the floor where others were now dancing to the lively music being played by the musicians. As we got to a spare space, the music dropped to a slower fall and he took me by the waist and my hand went up to his shoulder. I espied the queen and his brother watching us and I tried not to blush or look embarrassed. I was not in the habit of dancing, but I was still fairly adept at it, and far be it for me to ever admit it to anyone, but Loki lead me well. We spun and twirled and my dress flared out prettily at times and as the music died and the applause of those to the sides sounded, I stepped away from him, intending to walk off the dance floor and back to my place against the walls, but he put a hand to my lower back and guided me there himself.

‘I thought you told me you did not dance,’ he murmured to me as we made our way across the room.

‘No, I once told you that I did not care to dance. As I have just proven, I am perfectly capable of dancing,’ I threw back at him.

‘He does not often listen, dear,’ came a voice from behind me. The queen of Asgard, Frigga was there, smiling at us. I made my curtseys, and inwardly sighed. I knew I should not have danced with him, now people were paying attention to me. That was not the plan at all. I watched as Frigga took Loki aside to talk to him in a low voice and I busied myself by grabbing a cup of wine from a passing server. It was taken from my hand before I could even have a drop.

‘No, I want you sober’

‘I am not allowed even one?’ I demanded before realising his mother had left us alone again. Wine and ale flowed aimlessly elsewhere in the room as his words sunk in. ‘Sober for what?’ My stomach clutched in surprise and some nervous trepidation. Surely he did not mean to take me to bed after so shamelessly paying me favour in front of all in the room?

‘I want to dance with you again,’ he stated in a low tone. His face was close to mine, his lips mere inches from me. I felt the lump in my throat and my stomach getting even tighter and below that was pulsing for him.

‘No, you don’t,’ I murmured.

‘I do, just without your clothes on’

I swallowed the lump in my throat now and gazed around. Nobody was looking at us. ‘You are doing it now aren’t you?’

‘Apologies, I thought you would prefer it’

‘How long?’

‘Since we came off the dance floor’

‘Not before that?’

‘No,’ he confirmed easily.

‘But the queen...’

‘Of course can see when I do this illusion’

‘Are you telling me that your mother can see us just as we are?’

‘She is not looking at us.’ His knowing little smile clinched it for me and I slipped my hand into his.

‘Just whom am I supposed to look like right now?’

‘You do not want to know, trust me’

‘Never’

We stole away from the celebrations, towards his chambers, my mind whirling and my breathing hitching. I was sure my heart was breaking into a million pieces. Part of me knew I should let go and run the other way, the other part, the bigger part that knew it would rule this game tonight, refused to let go. Not yet.

We reached his chambers in no time at all, him pulling me in, his hands on me before the door had closed behind us, his lips marking me wherever they could find skin. I relented; there was no point in pretending I did not want him, and so I reciprocated and begged my ancestors to have pity on my soul as I sunk into the pleasure.

-

‘I must leave’

‘You can stay a bit longer. Nobody cares if we are both missing out there’

‘I care’

‘Since when?’

‘A while’

He sat up, looking at me coldly. ‘And just what do you mean by that?’

This was not a conversation I wanted to have while I was naked. This was not a conversation I wanted to have at all, but it must be had. I gazed over at him, wishing to all the ancestors before us that I had the strength to do this.

‘You are my king, my master and the one I will always hold every other man up to. I am yours, but you are not mine. I have done something very foolish and I need to go and finish this before I make it worse’

He grasped my wrist, yanking me closer to him, the hard look replaced with confusion and determination.

‘Explain yourself’

‘I trusted you’

‘I have not lied to you’

I looked away, breathing in deeply a few times before I could continue. ‘No, you have not. But you will. And I will cry, and I will curse you, and I will hate you. I never ever want it to come to that.’

His hand went from my wrist to my hand and he moved across the bed to me. ‘You do not want to love me’

‘No. No, I don’t.’ Except that I already do, I didn’t add, but I wondered if it hung in the air. His expression softened and he cupped my face, kissing my gently, sweetly.

‘Then may I say goodbye properly?’

‘I think what we just did was quite proper,’ I replied, a small smile on my face. He laughed and kissed me again.

‘No, there was nothing proper in that’

He pushed me back against the pillows, brushing my hair from my face in an almost delicate manner and I watched him, watched his eyes glaze over me, as if he were trying to solve a problem then smiling as if he had figured out the solution. Without thinking, I put both my hands to his face, feeling his sharp cheekbones and strong jaw. I had never understood that even with all the lovers he had accumulated, why there were still those that said he was not the epitome of beauty in this realm. Nearly all I knew favoured Thor over him, but while I recognised Thor’s good looks and had, in my own time, appreciated them, it was Loki, with worlds of knowledge inside that brilliant mind of his, his perfect execution of words with such a voice and now, on his bed and in this moment, I could not think of a more beautiful physical being. He was always strong, graceful and lean and it occurred to me that Odin was wasting good opportunity by ignoring his younger son. He was smart and ruthless, charming and pedantic. He should be king one day, even if I didn’t trust him with the truth.

‘My liege,’ I murmured. Always, he would always have my loyalty, even after this night. I would follow him into battle, if not to his bed anymore. I let my hands commit the feel of his face to memory and he leaned it down until his lips were just about to touch mine.

‘My queen’

Taste; the taste of him flooded my mouth as he kissed me deeply, with an intensity that I could not remember from him previously. I responded in kind, wanting him to have everything I had left to give to him. Parting his mouth from mine, he lay a trail of kisses along my jaw, down my neck, continuing his way further downwards, giving due attention to both my breasts with his tongue and teeth, setting my nerves into overdrive. He clasped my hands with his, entwining our fingers together as his lips sought newer locale, over my tummy and downward still. I have no idea when my legs were thrown over his shoulders, but there they are as he glides that tongue of silver and honey between my thighs, tasting me, making me wetter and now my skin is burning as he lets go of my hands to slide his own beneath me, lifting me up to get better access of me, kissing my centre as if it were my mouth, then moving slightly up to the nub, never ceasing in his ministrations and my back is arching and I am gripping the sheets that they might tear and screaming his name as waves of the pleasure built up burst forth. He is too quick for me, leaning up and bringing my legs up with him. I’m open and trapped under him as he positions himself, and thrusting inside of me as I’m still in the throes of release. I am undone and he is relentless, filling me, stretching me out and I am matching him now in rhythm, dying to have as much of him as I can. I need something to hold onto, the way he’s holding my waist, but I am in a drug like haze and cannot make of anything but the feel of him until I feel him shift again, going deeper still and his upper body is closer to mine, my legs hooked around his waist, his forehead against mine and I can grab at him, feeling his hard muscled back, one of his arms under me, the other just gripping wherever he can. I am mewling, sighing, moaning into his mouth with each movement as he kisses me, biting my lip and I can still taste myself and him on his. I am bracing myself for what’s coming, and for him as I feel him tense, thrust one last hard time and there are too many sensations for me to register, but I know he is spent and still inside of me and that my body and soul are ripping apart for him, because of him. Loki moves off of me, but slowly, as if making sure I don’t ever forget how he feels, and I won’t. He is just aside of me, his lips taking possession of mine again. There was no mistaking the possessiveness in that kiss, in the way he’d held on to me and I couldn’t help but smile to myself of it. I could have lay there for eternity, my body languid and sated in the most delicious way, but I had my plans and it was time I put them into action.

I sat up, only to feel him trace meaningless patterns on the skin of my back. I threw him a warning glance, which clearly was not serious enough for him as he continued for a few moments before talking myself into moving, sliding off the bed, in search of my gown. I found it eventually on the other side to where I had been, picking it up and slipping back into it. He watched me, unabashedly naked and stunning and I forced myself not to look at him. My inner struggle must have shown on my body.

‘Go, before I change my mind and keep you here and tie you up,’ he stated, very seriously. My mouth went dry at the thought. Such choices. I stepped back, daring myself to gaze at his face before I bowed low.

‘Fare you well, my lord’

I took one step, then another, and one more, seeing the door. I wanted to run to it, but knew my luck would be that I would fall if I did so. I finally reached it, pulling it open and going past the threshold, closing the door softly behind me. The glare of light nearly blinded me, reminding me of the feast in the great hall. I wondered if I looked...ravished. I reached up to smooth my hair into what I hoped it had looked like before I had left the feast. The revelry was still in high motion and before I knew it, I found myself on the dance floor, being moved about proficiently by none other than Volstagg. Despite his great size and preference to the tables of delicacies, he was rather a good dancer and I began to laugh, the spirit of the room seeping into me. Within the hour, I had danced with all the Warriors Three and even with the Lady Sif, indulged in the wine that was mercifully still being poured into glasses and heard heroic tales from the most recent of battles from Fandral, complete with flirtatious winks and re-enactments with his sword, Thor as his replicated enemy. I could not risk standing against the walls anymore, they were dangerous to me.

I could feel him, somewhere in the room, watching me. I kept my focus on the story being told before me, smiling, laughing and nodding when appropriate.

‘Do not believe a word he says. I happen to know that at one point he dropped his sword and Thor had to come charging in like a bull to save him,’ came the silky voice of the prince.

‘You are ruining my story, Loki. Have you nothing better to do?’ Fandral challenged lightly.

‘Where have you been, Loki? I have not seen you for hours!’ Thor exclaimed. I kept my face passive and curious as I turned to look at him along with all around us. He shrugged offhandedly and grinned.

‘Reminiscing. I doubt I have missed anything of import out here if I come back to it to find you lot exaggerating your exploits again’

One step, another, and another. I kept on walking, away from the conversation, away from him, seeking refuge elsewhere, but none was to be had. His scent stayed with me and I presumed his eyes did too. Another cup of wine. He had called me his queen, but my reign was over. For now.


End file.
